The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday adopted a motion urging the Federal Government to upgrade the Eastern Rail Line traversing Port Harcourt to Maiduguri from narrow gauge to standard gauge rail.
The upper legislative chamber said narrow gauge has become outdated globally, hence Nigeria cannot accept it, adding that the “purported planned rehabilitation of the outdated narrow gauge rail from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri should be suspended with immediate effect”.
In a motion sponsored by Senator Victor Umeh representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, and co-sponsored by 16 others, it was stated that the Eastern Rail Line serves four geographical zones, thereby making it the longest and the oldest among rail lines in Nigeria.
While outlining the advantage of a functional rail system, Umeh said it would reduce pressure on Nigerian roads, thus, government should adequately fund the rail system beginning from the 2024 budget.
He said: “Note that the Eastern Rail Line which serves 4 geographical zones of South South, South East, North Central and North East, runs from Port Harcourt, through Enugu, Makurdi, Jos, Bauchi and Maiduguri is the longest and one of the oldest rails in Nigeria.
“Note that the Eastern Rail Line is the only direct link from Maiduguri to Port Harcourt Deep Sea Port for export processing activities.”
The Senate recalled that the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led government borrowed a loan of USD6.8 billion for standardization of some rail lines in the country which are nearing completion while some have been completed, and insisted that the Federal Government should do same on the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri rail line.
The red Chamber, however, lamented that the rehabilitation contract which was awarded in April 2022 to the tune of $3.2 billion has failed and been abandoned even as the unacceptable narrow rail gauge has been overgrown with weeds and the tracks vandalised.
Other senators, particularly the co-sponsors, supported the motion as they took turns to highlight the advantages of having a functional rail transport system in Nigeria.
Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio, after sustaining the prayers urged the Senate Committee on Land Transport to ensure that all the four geopolitical zones within the Eastern Rail Line corridor benefit from the ongoing Railways Standardization and Modernization Programme of the Federal Government.
